Degreasing apparatus



NOV. 17, 1942. J F BLACK 2,302,522

omnmsme APPABATUS Filed Nbv. e. 1940 INVENTOR. JOHN F -.B LA CK Y WM Patented Nov. 17, 1942 DEGREASING APPARATUS John F. Black, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Circo Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio, at corporation of Ohio Application November 8, 19-40, Serial No. 364,758

' Claims. tCl. 202-168) This invention relates to a degreasing appaiatus for eiiecting the removal of grease from metal articles.

One of the objects of the present invention is realized by impinging a stream of heated vapor solvent against the work with sufiicient force to dislodge the solidified grease thereon and to entrain in the stream of vapor the fiuidic material dissolved thereby.

Another object of the invention is to carry out the foregoing subsequent a preliminary flushing operation in which a column of solvent heated below the vaporization point thereof is directed under pressure against the Work.

Another object of the invention resides in the use of compressed air as the vehicle for efiecting the impingement of the solvent or vapor upon the work.

Another object of the invention is to construct a degreasing apparatus having a fluid delivery member which is adapted for assembly with the vessel initially containing the solvent and subsequently with the vessel into which the solvent is delivered.

Another object of the invention is to provide a degreasing apparatus in which the heating and flushing instrumentalities are portable and designed for ready attachment with the power units therefor.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing and the manner in which all the various objects are realized will appear in the following description, which considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, sets forth the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a pair of similar containers illustrating the arrangement of the heating element, air conipressor and flushing conduits in relation to the containers; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

The containers or vessels A and B, which may be of any conventional form, are configured to accommodate the interchangeable assembly of a lid or cover plate It so that the containers may be used, in turn, as a solvent storage vessel and a cleaning chamber. Thus in the use of the apparatus the cleaning operation may be transferred from one vessel to the other as the supply of the solvent is exhausted in the first vessel and accumulated in the second. As illustrated the apparatus embodies an electrical heating unit ll suspended from the cover plate I0 and submerged in the solvent in the vessel B. The heating unit is provided with an electrical plug and ,of a hook or quick acting clamp 22.

socket connection I! to facilitate the ready attachment thereof with a source of current.

Adjacent the vessel B there is an air compressor l3 having the delivery line H therefor coupled with a conduit mounted in the cover plate Hi. The conduit i5 is relatively short and is provided with a coupling It of the type which is adapted for ready attachment with the line 14. Within the vessel B and suspended from the cover plate I0 there is a tube ll extended downwardly and terminating in the solvent adjacent the bottom of the vessel. The upper end of the tube 11 is coupled with a valve I3 which, when open, permits fluid communication between the tube IT and a branch pipe l9 and which, when closed, arrests fluid communication through the pipe I! and provides communication with the interior of the vessel through a second branch line 29, mounted in the cover plate Iii. The pipe I9 is provided with a coupling 21 adapted to facilitate the ready attachment or separation of the pipe 19 with the portion of the line attached to the valve I8. The free end of the pipe I9 is suspended within the vessel A, being preferably supported upon the edgethereof by means The end of the pipe is formed with a restricted opening or provided with a nozzle 23 arranged so that the fluid discharged therefrom may be directed upon a grease laden Work piece suspended adjacent thereto.

The heating unit I l is provided with a thermostatic switch 24 adapted to maintain the temperature of the solvent below the vaporization of such oils and grease as become admixed with the solvent during the flushing operation and further to maintain the temperature of the solvent below the cracking point thereof.

In the exercise of the cleaning operation the solvent in the vessel B is first heated to a temperature slightly below the vaporization point thereof, whereupon compressed air is admitted into the sealed vessel B which causes the displacement of the solvent through the tube IT and pipe I9. As the solvent is thus discharged through the nozzle 23 it will cascade over the work suspended or revolved in the vessel A. Subsequent this operation the solvent remaining in the vessel B is vaporized by increasing the flow of current through the heating unit i i. The valve 18 is then adjusted to close thetube H and open the line 28 so that the vapor displaced by the compressed air will be forced through the pip l9 and impinge the work suspended in the vessel A.

When the supplyvof solvent is dissipated from the vessel B the electric plug l2 and the quick acting couplings l6 and 2| may be removed, then the lid, together with the heater, tube and conduit fittings mounted thereon may be tran ferred from the vessel B to the vessel A. Thereafter the pipe I9 may be transferred from the vessel A to B, the cover plate secured in place and the couplings reunited to facilitate the repetition of the foregoing operation with the vessel B forming the cleaning chamber.

Although the solvent used in the fiuidic flushing operation may be contaminated with the grease and foreign matter collected during the repeated operation, the vapor generated from such solvent is free of contamination since the vaporization point of the solvent is maintained below that of the grease.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without de parting from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed I claim:

1. A degreasing apparatus comprising a plurality of similar vessels with one of said vessels adapted for the reception of a solvent in the lower portion and a second vessel for the reception of the work to be degreased, a lid on the first named vessel adapted for interchangeable assembly with the second named vessel, a heater suspended from th lid and terminating adjacent the bottom of the vessel, a conduit extending through the lid and communicating with a source of compressed air, a tube extending through said lid and terminatin adjacent the bottom of said vessel, a pipe connected with said tube and projecting into said second vessel, a branch pipe secured to said tube and pipe and extending through said lid with the free end terminating within the upper portion of the first named vessel and a valve disposed at the jointure of said pipe, tube and branch pipe for alternately opening the passageways through the tube and branch pipe.

2. A degreasing apparatus comprising a pair of similar vessels with one of the vessels being partially filled with a solvent and the other vessel adapted to retain the work to be degreased, a lid on the first named vessel adapted for interchangeable assembly with the second namedvessel, a heater suspended from said lid and terminating adjacent the bottom of said first named vessel, a plurality of conduits extending through said lid and suspended therefrom, one

of said conduits having an end terminating with the lower portion of the first named vessel, the remaining conduits having an and terminating within the upper portion of said vessel, an air compressor coupled to the outer end of one of said conduits, a valve coupling uniting the outer end of the other conduits, a discharge pipe secured to said valve coupling and having its free end terminate within the second named vessel in close proximity to the work to be degreased, said valve controlling communication between said discharge pipe and the upper and lower portions of the first named vessel.

3. A degreasing apparatus comprising a pair of vessels with one of the vessels being opened for the reception of the work to be degreased and the other vessel being closed and partially filled with a solvent, a heating unit within said closed vessel, an air compressor connected to the closed vessel, superjacent the level of the solvent, a discharge tube projecting from the closed vessel, one end of said tube disposed adjacent the bottom of the closed vessel and the other end of the tube terminating within the open vessel contiguous the work to be degreased and valvular means disposed Within said tube to control communication between said vessels.

4. A degreasing apparatus comprising a pair of similar vessels with one of the vessels adapted for the reception of the work to be degreased and the other vessel adapted for the reception of a solvent, a lid on the last named vessel adapted for interchangeable assembly with the first named vessel, a heating unit for heating and vaporizing the solvent, said heating unit extending through the lid and disposed in spaced relation with the bottom of the last named vessel, a source of compressed air connected to said last named vessel above the level of the solvent, conduits extending from said last named vessel and communicating with said first named vessel with one of the conduits having an opening therein subjacent the level of the solvent and another conduit having an opening therein superjacent the level of the solvent, one of said conduits providing a passageway for the delivery of the heated solvent from said last named vessel to said first named vessel and the other conduit providing a passage for the delivery of the solvent vapors from said last named vessel to the said first named vessel and valvular mechanism to selectively control the delivery of the heated and vapor solvent.

5. A degreasing apparatus comprising a pair of similar interchangeable vessels, one of said vessels adapted for the reception of the work to be degreased and the other vessel adapted for the reception of a solvent in the lower portion, the upper portion of said last named vessel constituting a vapor chamber, a lid on the last named vessel adapted for interchangeable assembly with the first named vessel, a heating unit suspended from said lid and immersed in the solvent, a pipe extending through said lid and suspended therefrom with an end terminating within. the solvent, a second pipe extending through said lid and suspended therefromwith an end terminating within said vapor chamber, a selective valve coupling uniting-the outer ends of said pipes, a discharge tube, a quick detachable coupling uniting the end of said tube with said valve coupling, said discharge tube having its free end terminating within the first named vessel contiguous the work to be degreased, a conduit extending through said lid and suspended therefrom with an end terminating Within said vapor chamber, a quick detachable couplin upon the outer end of said conduit,. an .air compressor united with said coupling for displacing the solvent liquid and vapor from the last named vessel to the first named vessel whereby said compressor and discharge tube may be detachably removed from said conduit and valve and the lid, heater, pipes and conduit transferred to the first named vessel and the work to be degreased placed in the last named vessel.

JOHN F. BLACK. 

